2011 National Survey of School Counselors Counseling at a Crossroads

Transcription

1 The College Board National Office for Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) 2011 National Survey of Counselors Counseling at a Crossroads HART RESEARCH A S S O C I A T E S

2 The Annual Survey of Counselors was made possible with support from the Kresge Foundation. The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center is grateful for the Kresge Foundation s commitment to this important work. About the Kresge Foundation The Kresge Foundation is a $2.9 billion private, national foundation that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations through its support of nonprofit organizations in six fields of interest: arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, health, and human services. Fostering greater access to and success in postsecondary education for low-income, minority and first-generation college students is the focus of Kresge s Education grantmaking. In 2010, Kresge awarded more than $23 million in grants to support higher education in the United States and South Africa. For more information, please visit

3 2011 National Survey of Counselors Counseling at a Crossroads John Bridgeland Mary Bruce Produced for the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center by HART RESEARCH A S S O C I A T E S November 2011

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5 Contents An Open Letter to the American People 4 Executive Summary 5 Counseling at a Crossroads 10 Survey Overview 12 Counselors See a Broken System in Need of Reform 12 Counselors Provide Unique, Underutilized Contributions to s 21 Counselors Are Supportive of Certain Accountability Measures 31 Counselors Contribute to College and Career Readiness 32 Paths Forward 38 In s and Communities 38 In States 39 In the Nation 40 Conclusion 42 Acknowledgments 43 Methodology 44 Appendixes Appendix 1: Profile of Counselors 45 Appendix 2: Civic Marshall Plan to Build a Grad Nation 51 Bibliography 53

6 4 Counseling at the Crossroads An Open Letter to the American People counselors are highly valuable professionals in the education system, but they are also among the least strategically deployed. This is a national loss, especially given the fact that school counselors are uniquely positioned, in ways that many educators are not, to have a complete picture of the dreams, hopes, life circumstances, challenges and needs of their students. Counselors have both a holistic view of the students in their schools and the opportunity to provide targeted supports to keep these students on track for success, year after year. For the past century, counselors have been hard at work performing many roles in their schools, from guiding student decision making, helping students to address personal problems and working with parents, to administering tests, teaching and filling other gaps unrelated to counseling. Counselors roles have been as diverse as the students they serve, often resulting in an unclear mission, a lack of accountability for student success, and having school counseling seen as a profession in search of identity. 1 Consequently, even though there are nearly as many school counselors as administrators across America, 2 counselors have been largely left out of the education reform movement. We are at a crossroads in American education in defining the role our nation s school counselors will play to help improve student achievement. America is fast losing its place in the world in the highest levels of educational attainment. The costs to students, communities, the economy and our nation merit an urgent national response one that includes our counselors. At a time when school district dollars are more constrained than ever, and when one in four public school students fails to graduate on time, 3 now is the time to be highly strategic with these precious educational resources. In the pages that follow, we share the perspectives of school counselors to better understand how the school counselor, a critical component of the education sector and an underutilized tool in education reform, can be better leveraged to promote student achievement and ensure more students graduate from high school ready for college and their careers. To understand the perspectives of counselors, the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, Civic Enterprises, and Peter D. Hart Research Associates collaborated to survey 5,308 middle and high school counselors, which is the largest and broadest national survey of these education professionals to date. We sought insight into how they view their roles and missions and spend their days, as we believe they might be more strategically deployed to better serve students. We also were interested in their perspectives on measures of accountability and education policies and practices that could strengthen their roles and the systems in which they work. We hoped to learn what challenges they face and what solutions might be found to better leverage the extraordinary resource that school counselors represent. 1. Schimmel, C Counseling: A Brief Historical Overview. West Virginia Department of Education. Retrieved from: html 2. United States Department of Labor Education Administrators. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Retrieved from: United States Department of Labor Counselors. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Retrieved from: 3. Balfanz, R. et al Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High Dropout Epidemic. Civic Enterprises.

7 Counseling at the Crossroads 5 Executive Summary This survey of more than 5,300 middle school and high school counselors reveals deep concerns within the profession and sheds light on opportunities to better utilize these valuable leaders in America s schools. The frustrations and hopes of school counselors reflect the central message of this report: school counseling as a profession is at a crossroads. Despite the aspirations of counselors to effectively help students succeed in school and fulfill their dreams, the mission and roles of counselors in the education system must be more clearly defined; schools must create measures of accountability to track their effectiveness; and policymakers and key stakeholders must integrate counselors into reform efforts to maximize their impact in schools across America. counselors believe their mission should be to prepare children for high school graduation, college and careers, and they report that they are ready to lead in the effort to dramatically accelerate student achievement, in school, careers and life. Survey Overview Counselors See a Broken System in Need of Reform Counselors, on average, have high expectations for themselves, their students, their schools, and the education system, yet reality falls far short of their hopes. Although counselors want a high-quality education for all students, these professionals report a broken system that does not align with their aspirations. They call for changes to the educational system, view themselves as leaders in effecting change, and want more support. More than eight in 10 counselors report that a top mission of schools should be to ensure that all students complete 12th grade ready to succeed in college and careers (85 percent rated this as a 9 or a 10 on a 10-point scale), yet only 30 percent of all school counselors and 19 percent of those in high poverty schools (as measured by 75 percent or more of the students on free or reduced-price lunches) see this as their school s mission in reality. Nine in 10 counselors (89 percent rate this as a 9 or a 10) say that the mission of schools should be that all students, regardless of background, have equal access to a high-quality education, but only 38 percent of all counselors and 32 percent in high poverty schools see this as a reality. Counselors in low poverty schools (as measured by 25 percent or fewer students on free or reduced-price lunches) fare only slightly better, with only 39 percent reporting this as a reality in their schools. Nearly all counselors (93 percent) say they support a strategic approach to promote college and career readiness by 12th grade, including 57 percent who strongly support this approach. However, more than one in three of all counselors (35 percent) and 43 percent of counselors in lower-income schools do not think they have the support and resources to be successful at promoting this mission. More than half of counselors (55 percent) say significant changes are needed in schools, and 9 percent say a complete overhaul is necessary. Nearly every counselor (99 percent) agrees that they should exercise leadership in advocating for students access to rigorous academic preparation, as well as for other college and careerreadiness counseling, even if others in the school do not see counselors in this leadership role. Counselors Provide Unique, Underutilized Contributions to s counselors are a vital, but often overlooked part of the education system, playing key roles in supporting students in holistic ways. Counselors, nearly half of whom (49 percent) are former teachers themselves, are uniquely positioned to support student achievement not only because of their specialized education, but also because they have a more complete picture of every student they counsel, understanding their hopes and life circumstances, while working with them from year to year to help them meet both academic and nonacademic needs. More than eight in 10 counselors say the mission of school counselors should be: to address student problems so that all students graduate from high school (85 percent rate this a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale); to ensure that all students earn a high school diploma and graduate ready to succeed (84 percent); and to help students mature and develop skills for the adult world (83 percent). Yet, few say that these goals closely fit the mission of their school in reality, including: A 50 percentage-point gap between the ideal and the reality of helping students mature and develop;

8 6 Counseling at the Crossroads A 41 percentage-point gap between the ideal and the reality of addressing student problems so all can graduate from high school; and A 38 percentage-point gap between the ideal and the reality of ensuring all students earn a high school diploma ready to succeed. Three out of four counselors (74 percent) rate their unique role (one of their two or three most important contributions among a list of five) as student advocates who create pathways and support to ensure all students have opportunities to achieve postsecondary goals, while only 42 percent say their schools take advantage of this contribution (giving ratings of 9 or 10). Three out of five counselors (62 percent) see their specialized training to work with the whole student as a top contribution, but only two in five (40 percent) see this as well utilized in their schools. counselors give their schools the most credit for seeing their value in building trusted relationships. Over six in 10 (65 percent) say their unique contribution is establishing a trusting relationship with students and nearly as many (57 percent) agree that their school takes advantage of this skill set. The majority of counselors would like to spend more time on targeted activities that promote student success, including career counseling and exploration (75 percent), student academic planning (64 percent), and building a college-going culture (56 percent). More than two out of three (67 percent) would like to spend less time on administrative tasks. Three-fourths of counselors (75 percent) in high poverty schools want to spend more time on building a college-going culture, compared to 55 percent of counselors in low poverty schools; 72 percent in high poverty schools want to spend more time on student academic planning, versus 63 percent of counselors in low poverty schools; and nearly equal and high percentages of counselors in higher-income schools and high poverty schools (79 percent versus 75 percent) want to spend more time on career counseling and exploration. More than half of counselors, including 59 percent of middle school counselors and 60 percent of public school counselors, want to spend more time building a college-going culture. Counselors are largely divided, however, on where to spend their time to advance equity in education, with 52 percent saying each student should receive equal amounts of support and attention and 48 percent wanting to target students with the greatest challenges. Although the majority of counselors have a master s degree (73 percent) and important prior work experience (58 percent were teachers or administrators), only a small minority feel very well trained for their jobs (only 16 percent rate their training as a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale). Nearly three in 10 (28 percent) believe their training did not prepare them well for their job and more than half (56 percent) feel only somewhat well trained. The majority of counselors have sought out additional training in targeted areas to promote student achievement, including in technology use (75 percent); in college and career counseling (68 percent); in federal and state policies for reporting abuse (59 percent); and in learning styles, special education regulations and understanding test results (58 percent in each case). Counselors Support Certain Accountability Measures In an era of data-driven education, counselors will only be viewed as critical assets in education and relevant to the reform agenda once they are accountable for student success in schools. They must be responsible for defining their contribution and responsibility and for presenting how they can be part of existing measures of accountability. Counselors support multiple measures of accountability that align with their views of their mission and unique role. The majority of high school counselors endorse certain accountability measures as fair and appropriate (with a rating of 6 to 10 on a 10-point scale) in assessing counselor effectiveness, including measuring their own success, based on: Transcript audits of graduation readiness (62 percent); Completion of college-preparatory course sequence (61 percent);

9 Counseling at the Crossroads 7 Students gaining access to advanced classes/tests (60 percent); High school graduation rates (57 percent); and College application rates (57 percent). More than six in 10 counselors (61 percent) support accountability measures and incentives for counselors to meet the 12th-grade college and career-ready goal, with African American counselors (50 percent) twice as likely as white counselors (25 percent) to strongly support creating these measures and incentives. This proposal also garners stronger than average support among counselors in urban public schools (32 percent strongly support), schools with high minority populations (44 percent), and schools with lower-income students (38 percent). There is less support for other specific measures of accountability, with only a minority of high school counselors endorsing measures of effectiveness as fair and appropriate (with a rating of 6 to 10 on a 10-point scale), such as: College acceptance rates (46 percent); FAFSA completion rates (40 percent); and Dropout rates (37 percent). The majority (55 percent) of middle school counselors endorse middle school completion rates as a fair and appropriate measure of effectiveness (with a rating of 6 to 10 on a 10-point scale). Nearly half of middle school counselors (47 percent) accept high school graduation rates as an appropriate accountability measure. Four in 10 middle school counselors (40 percent) rank college acceptance rates as fair and appropriate measures of counselor effectiveness, even though middle school counselors are working with students up to seven years before college acceptance decisions would be made. Counselors Contribute to College and Career Readiness Only 44 percent of high school freshmen and 69 percent of recent high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution. 4 Even fewer graduate. Counselors are uniquely positioned to help reverse these trends, restoring America s status as first in the world in college attainment. Counselors have strong views on areas ripe for reform: When asked to rate reform proposals, nearly all counselors (95 percent) are in favor of additional support, time and empowerment for leadership to give students what they need for college, even outpacing 91 percent reporting support for reducing administrative tasks and 90 percent wanting smaller caseloads. Counselors also express strong support for other reforms, including: 88 percent support counselor training to help students align the jobs they want with what the skills they will need to succeed in those jobs; 87 percent support collaboration among middle/high school counselors and colleges to build a collegegoing culture; 65 percent support data collection and dissemination on high school graduate career and college success; and 61 percent support the creation of accountability measures and incentives for counselors. When provided a college and career readiness framework (the National Office for Counselor Advocacy s Eight Components), counselors are in favor of all the components, but far fewer rate their school as successful on each measure. The top-rated components are: More than seven in 10 counselors (72 percent) say the College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes component is very important, yet only 30 percent rate their school as successful in achieving this measure; More than seven in 10 counselors (73 percent) rate College and Career Admission Processes as very 4. National Center for Education Statistics Table 201: Recent High Completers and Their Enrollment in College, by Race/Ethnicity. U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved from: programs/digest/d09/tables/dt09_201.asp?; Mortenson, T, Postsecondary Opportunity. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Retrieved from: ar=2008&level=nation&mode=data&state=0

10 8 Counseling at the Crossroads important, yet only 30 percent say their school is successful; and More than seven in 10 (71 percent) rate Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness as very important, but only 34 percent say their school is successful. Paths Forward: Counselors We are facing a critical crossroads in education reform: for the first time in our history, this generation of students is at risk of having lower educational attainment than their parents. 5, 6 s will need every asset available especially professionals in schools who have a complete picture of students and can follow and support them over time to ensure they get the support they need to stay on track to graduate from high school, ready for college and career. With a clear mission, accountability for results, and a clear contribution to school improvement efforts, counselors can fulfill their desire to be strong student advocates. To accelerate this progress, we must take the following actions: In s and Communities Align the Mission of Counselors with the Needs of Students. Given America s high school and college completion crises and accompanying labor market skills gap, counselors should be leaders focused on keeping students on track to graduate high school, ready for college and career. The mission of counselors should be tightly tied to this goal and roles designed to meet it. Focus Counselor s Work on Activities that Accelerate Student Success. Administrators, and other supervisors, should focus the work of counselors on activities that support and improve student outcomes, redeploying less expensive, and less highly skilled employees to perform administrative tasks. Target Professional Development Dollars. The No Child Left Behind Act provides districts with the flexibility and resources to apply professional development and other funds as states and districts see fit. Our survey 5. Time Is the Enemy: The Surprising Truth About Why Today s College Students Aren t Graduating and What Needs to Change Complete College America. Retrieved from 6. U.S. Census Bureau. CPS Historical Time Series Tables: Table A-2. Percent of People 25 Years and Over Who Have Completed High or College, by Race, Hispanic Origin and Sex: Selected Years 1940 to Retrieved from: hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/historical/index.html shows that counselors are eager to receive professional development, and that these training sessions should be targeted at critical levers like college and career readiness, financial aid, and the use of technology to promote these goals. s Should Pilot Test Measures of Accountability. With the importance of accountability and the support among counselors for measures of effectiveness that relate to their mission and their unique role in boosting student success, districts and schools should accelerate the testing of such performance-based measures and report the results. Counselors should be given incentives to focus on and achieve success on accountability measures. Coordinate Initiatives with Community-Based Organizations. Counselors report tremendous workloads. There are, however, resources to support their efforts. Nonprofit and community-based college access programs are tremendous assets to students, families and schools, but are often staffed with volunteers or professionals who are not as well trained as counselors. Counselors should utilize these services to lessen their individual workloads and also, when appropriate, be considered the point person in schools for coordinating these initiatives. In States Align Counselor Education and Training Requirements with the Needs on the Ground. Counselors indicate that their preservice training, while somewhat satisfactory, does not adequately prepare them for the realities they are facing in schools. Course requirements should be updated to reflect this reality, including mandatory course work on advising for college readiness, access and affordability. Redefine Certification Requirements to Advance College and Career Readiness from a Systems Perspective. Counselors are caught between crosscurrents asking them to play very different roles, thus limiting their effectiveness. Counselors report a preference for work in which one-on-one counseling is part but not all of their role. Enact and Enforce Caseload Requirements. As of 2009, only five states met the American Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended ratio of 250 students per counselor (Louisiana, Mississippi, New

11 Counseling at the Crossroads 9 Hampshire, Vermont and Wyoming). 7 States that do not have caseload maximums should create them, and all states should enforce manageable student-to-counselor - ratios. These efforts could align with reforms that break up large schools into smaller, more personal learning environments. in the areas of technology, accountability, and the role of counselors in closing the achievement gap and as leaders in the education system. In the Nation Enlist Counselors Expertise in the Grad Nation Campaign. Counselors have been largely left out of the education reform agenda until now. As one example, counselors will now be enrolled as key members of the Civic Marshall Plan to Build a Grad Nation, contributing their expertise to help America achieve a national graduation rate of 90 percent by 2020 and the highest college attainment rates in the world. Create and Implement Accountability Measures. Until counselors are accountable for success in our schools, they will not be viewed as critical leaders in the system. We need to continue testing measures of accountability for counselors from the ground up to see what the emerging consensus will produce in terms of effectiveness, how progress will be measured, and how counselors will be held to the standards that are created. Continue Strategic Philanthropic Investments in the Counseling Profession. Some national foundations have prioritized counselors as a strategic investment. Other local and national foundations should follow their lead. Align Federal Legislation, especially ESEA, with High-Impact Counseling Initiatives. We expect that a focal point of the upcoming Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization will be to ensure that students are college and career ready. This should include a focus on how counselors can be better leveraged to promote college readiness and academic achievement for the lowest-performing students and reduce the structural barriers to quality college guidance. Expand Research Initiatives Focused on the Efficacy of the Counseling Profession. The body of information on school counseling consistently shows a field that struggles with role definition and measuring efficacy and is inconsistently integrated into or absent from the larger education reform agenda. Research is particularly limited 7. National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data. U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences.

12 10 Counseling at the Crossroads Counseling at a Crossroads The Perspectives and Promise of Counselors in American Education This report of school counseling in America comes at a time when the interest in high school graduation and college attainment is high and its importance is clearly recognized. Across the country, young people are dreaming about and planning to attend college in large numbers. A poll released in 2005 showed that 87 percent of all young people want to go to college. 8 Young people are not alone in thinking about this goal; parents, especially those of minority groups under-represented in higher education, also see a need for postsecondary education. In fact, 92 percent of African American parents and 90 percent of Hispanic parents consider college for their children very important, as do 78 percent of Caucasian parents. 9 Often, however, these dreams for the future are not being realized. Many young people never enroll in a postsecondary institution and even fewer ever graduate. Current statistics show that only 44 percent of high school freshmen and 69 percent of recent high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution. 10 These statistics shed light on the severity of the U.S. high school dropout crisis, with one-fourth of all public high school students and 40 percent of minorities failing to graduate on time. 11 Of the students who do complete high school, only 57 percent complete a bachelor s degree within six years, and only 28 percent complete an associate degree within three years Bridgeland, J. M. et al The Silent Epidemic: Perspective of High Dropouts. Civic Enterprises. 9. Bridgeland, J. M. et al One Dream, Two Realities: Perspectives of Parents on America s High s. Civic Enterprises, citing a poll released by MTV and the National Governors Association. 10. National Center for Education Statistics Table 201: Recent High Completers and Their Enrollment in College, by Race/Ethnicity. U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved from: programs/digest/d09/tables/dt09_201.asp?; Mortenson, T Postsecondary Opportunity. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Retrieved from: ar=2008&level=nation&mode=data&state=0 11. Balfanz, R. et al Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High Dropout Epidemic. Civic Enterprises. 12. National Center for Education Statistics Table 331: Graduation Rates of First-Time Postsecondary Students Who Started as Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students. U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved from: A labor market skills gap accompanies this crisis in high school and college completion. Unlike a generation ago, the majority of job openings in the next decade will require at least some postsecondary education. 13 Experts estimate that despite high unemployment rates overall, American businesses are in need of 97 million workers for high- or middle-skill jobs, yet only 45 million Americans currently possess the necessary education and skills to qualify for these positions. 14 This skills gap illustrates the importance of today s postsecondary credentials and sheds light on why postsecondary planning is increasingly an essential component of not only high-quality school counseling, but also the U.S. economy and America s future. Counselors are uniquely positioned to help address these key gaps in education and workforce development, given their unique position within the school, which allows them to work with the whole child, supporting both academic and nonacademic needs. The research on the counseling profession, however, is limited. For example, utilizing Google Scholar, a database that includes America s largest scholarly publishers, the search term teacher produced more than 2 million results, and superintendent produced more than half a million. By comparison, school counselor produced just 230,000 results and guidance counselor only 116, Counselors are also missing from major education reform discussions and initiatives, such as the Grad Nation campaign to boost high school and college graduation rates. To address these information and participation gaps, the College Board s Advocacy & Policy Center, partnering with Civic Enterprises and Peter D. Hart Research Associates, launched the largestever national survey of middle and high school counselors. This survey, which gathered the opinions of 5,308 middle and high school counselors, is the first entry in an annual initiative. The development of the survey and the analysis of the survey findings were informed by the most recent and relevant research available in the field, including more than 300 sources ranging from studies to evaluations, surveys to interviews. The research focused on middle and high school counselors, excluding work on elementary school counselors, private college admission counselors and counselors at colleges. The research also focused on the counselor s 13. Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce. College Is Still the Best Option. Georgetown University. Retrieved from: 14. Gordon, E. E The Global Talent Crisis. The Futurist, September October, 2009, The search terms, teacher, superintendent, school counselor, and guidance counselor were entered separately on July 17, 2011, at

13 Counseling at the Crossroads 11 educational role, and those functions directly related to academic achievement and college and career readiness. Areas such as mental health counseling, student welfare, adolescent development and crisis counseling, though rich fields, were studied in less depth. Among the topics covered in this report are the roles that counselors are performing today, the opportunities and challenges they face, and the degree to which they and their schools are engaging in college and career readiness counseling. The U.S. education system is facing significant challenges that are affecting individuals, families, communities and the nation. Because of their unique role in schools and school systems, school counselors have the potential, working in partnership with other educators and stakeholders, to impact not only the success of our nation s students, but also the preparedness of our workforce and the health of our economy. The following provides an overview of these findings, including a comprehensive profile of America s school counselors and an overview of their role in schools and the educational system. It also provides counselors perspectives on how to better leverage their role in schools and their priorities for improving the system to successfully prepare students for college and career. The pages that follow explore what research and counselors themselves can tell us about the counseling profession and its highest potential impact on the lives of children.

14 12 Counseling at the Crossroads Survey Overview There are nearly as many counselors in American schools as there are administrators, yet the counselor s role in education reform has been largely undefined and their perspectives on how to best contribute largely unknown until now. The first-ever nationally representative survey of counselors in America was conducted in the spring of The voices of 5,308 counselors, including 1,327 middle school and 3,981 high school counselors, shed light on the unique contributions counselors can make to improve the lives of our nation s most distressed students. They also shared their hopes for improving a struggling education system and their nearly unanimous interest in helping to lead these reforms within their schools. From April 19 to June 6, 2011, counselors across America were invited to participate in the first comprehensive online survey of their profession. The survey design was informed by focus group sessions that took place in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2011, and in New York, N.Y., in February In each city, both middle school and high school counselors were engaged. Particular emphasis was placed on recruiting a diverse pool of participants in terms of school district, years in the profession and personal demographic characteristics. Counselor survey invitations were then made on a state-bystate basis and were proportional to the size of the state. The survey results were also weighted to proper proportions by state for a representative national sample. A second set of weights was then applied to match known measures of counselor population based on available information, including by ratios of private/public schools and schoolwide Title I enrollment and eligibility. We are confident that this sample, once weighted, represents a true national sample of school counselors in America. It is important to note that although most counselors work in either a middle school or a high school, some work in both. For purposes of this report, counselors were allowed to classify themselves as working in middle school, high school, or a combined K 12 school. Counselors who responded K 12 school were asked to choose the type of school that that reflected the students they primarily counsel. They then chose between middle school and high school and were combined with the original groups. (Please also see Appendix 1 for more information about the profile of counselors today.) and the profession in its ideal form, versus their perceptions of the reality on the ground; (2) Counselors Provide Unique, Underutilized Contributions to s, which explains counselors perspectives on their unique value to the education system; (3) Counselors Are Supportive of Certain Accountability Measures, which details those measures that counselors support and those that they do not to drive forward the accountability-based counseling movement; and (4) Counselors Contribute to College and Career Readiness, which provides counselors views on helping to prepare students for postsecondary achievement. The report then provides recommendations Paths Forward for how schools, communities, states and the nation can better leverage school counselors to promote student success in school and in life. Appendix 1 also includes a detailed profile of America s school counselors, including their demographics, educational and professional backgrounds, and training. Counselors See a Broken System in Need of Reform Counselors, on average, have high expectations for themselves, their students, their schools, and the education system, but reality falls far short of their hopes. Our survey shows that counselors are, in large part, disenchanted with both the reality of their profession and the schools in which they work. In fact, the majority of counselors are calling for changes in the educational system. Counselors are also largely enthusiastic about supporting college and career readiness initiatives, but here again, do not think they have the support and resources to successfully promote their students postsecondary achievement. Altogether, the majority of counselors report a broken system that does not align with their aspirations for their students. They call for changes to the system, want to help lead these reform efforts in their schools and ask for more support to fulfill their mission. The report outlines findings along four major themes: (1) Counselors See a Broken System in Need of Reform, which shares the views of counselors on the school system

15 Counseling at the Crossroads 13 Counseling A Developing Profession The practice of school counseling began informally in American schools as teachers, administrators, parents, and others gave vocational and life guidance to students. The counseling of youth was established as a widespread presence in our nation s schools with the 1958 National Defense Education Act, which provided funds to train and place counselors in schools across America. Comprehensive counseling programs that focused on both developmental psychology and educational achievement emerged by the end of the 1980s, and have largely informed current practices by the counseling professions. 16 In 1995, The Education Trust, veering away from the traditional pathways, launched the Transforming Counseling Initiative, a national effort to reshape school counseling through preservice training of school counselors that focused on equity in student outcomes, creating counselors who could be leaders, advocates and systemic change agents, intentionally focusing on ensuring brighter futures for all students. By 1998, a need for more consistent and high-quality school counseling programs led the American Counselor Association (ASCA) to create national standards for counselors and counseling programs. Yet while comprehensive counseling programs and the ASCA model, developed in 2005, which included many of the tenets put forth by The Education Trust, have become commonplace in American schools, confusion and misunderstanding about the proper role and use of school counselors remain part of the field. 17 In schools across America today, the day-to-day job of the counselor includes personal needs counseling, the choice and scheduling of school courses, academic testing, postsecondary admission counseling, occupational counseling and job placement, teaching, and other non-guidance activities (e.g., new student registration, record maintenance and other administrative tasks). 18 Often, counselor is less of a defined position in schools than a catchall: When schools, teachers and administrators need a job done, or when new responsibilities arise, they tend to look to the school counselor. As of 2008 (the most recent data available), more than 130,000 counselors were hard at work in our nation s schools, 19 with job descriptions as diverse as the students they serve. 16. Gysbers, N. C., and P. Henderson Developing and Managing Your Guidance Program, 3rd ed. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association. Myrick, R. D Developmental Guidance and Counseling: A Practical Approach, 2nd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Educational Media Corporation. 17. American Counselor Association Counseling Principles: Foundations and Basics. American Counselor Association, National Association for College Admission Counseling Counseling Trends Survey; Schimmel, C Counseling: A Brief Historical Overview. West Virginia Department of Education. Retrieved from: 19. United States Department of Labor Education Administrators. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Retrieved from: bls.gov/oco/ocos007.htm; United States Department of Labor Counselors. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Retrieved from: Counselors Views on the Ideal Mission of s Counselors views of the school system s ideal mission do not translate to their reality (Table 1). Counselors report that the largest gap 55 percentage points is in the realm of college and career readiness. Nine out of 10 counselors report that a top mission of schools should be ensuring all students complete 12th grade ready to succeed in college and careers (85 percent rated this as a 9 or a 10 on a 10-point scale), yet only 30 percent of all school counselors and 19 percent of counselors in high poverty schools (defined by 75 percent or more of the students receiving free or reduced-price lunches) see this as their school s actual current mission. The degree to which this mission fits the reality in their schools varies significantly across key subgroups. The contrast between public and private schools is especially stark, with 67 percent of counselors in private schools saying the mission closely matches that of their school, but just 25 percent of counselors in public schools saying the same. In urban public schools the proportion falls to just 21 percent. Furthermore, twice as many counselors (43 percent) in schools where college acceptance rates are high, score this statement as a 9 or 10 for fitting reality in their school, versus those who are in schools where the college acceptance rate is lower (21 percent). This indicates a link between a school s vision for their students and the realities they face. As will be discussed in detail in the Counselors Contribute to College and Career Readiness section of this report, nearly all counselors (93 percent) say they support a strategic approach to promote college and career readiness by 12th grade, including 57 percent who strongly support this approach. This may indicate an area where counselors can step in to lead within the education system, defining their unique role within the profession, as well as the metrics for their accountability.

16 14 Counseling at the Crossroads Table 1: Counselors Rating To Ensure All Students Complete the 12th Grade Ready to Succeed in College and Careers as a 9 or 10 for a System s Mission Statement in the Ideal Mean Score # All Counselors Race of Counselor White counselors African American counselors Hispanic counselors Region Northeast Midwest South West Type of All public Urban public Suburban public Rural public All private Percent of Student Population that Is Minority 0 to to to or more Number of Students in Caseload Fewer than or more College Attendance Rates (HS Only) High college attendance (80 or more) Lower college attendance (70 and below) When asked to select among a range of possible missions for schools, the highest rated item, ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have equal access to high-quality education, earned nearly a 10-out-of-10 rating, indicating near consensus that this should be the ideal mission statement for schools. In a focus group, one counselor summed it up by asking: Are we preparing them to get into college, or are we preparing them to succeed once they re there? 20 Counselors felt strongly about this mission: nearly nine counselors out 20. Focus group conducted by Hart Research Associates. New York, N.Y., February 2, 2011.

17 Counseling at the Crossroads 15 Figure 1: Ideally, what should be the mission of the education system? And in reality, how well does this fit your view of the mission of the school system in which you work? To ensure that all students, regardless of background, have equal access to a high-quality education 89 To ensure that all students complete the 12th grade ready to succeed in college and careers To ensure that all students earn a high school diploma To maintain an orderly environment where motivated students are able to learn To achieve continued improvement on state and national tests of student learning and knowledge Actually is the mission in my school* Ideally should be the mission* *9 10 ratings on zero-to-10 scale, 10 = perfectly fits my view, 0 = does not fit my view at all of 10 (89 percent) rated the statement as either a 9 or 10, but only 38 percent of all counselors and 32 percent in lowincome schools see this in their schools (Figure 1). Counselors in schools fare only slightly better: only 39 percent report this as a reality in their schools. More than three out of four counselors rate two additional items as a 9 or 10 to ensure that all students earn a high school diploma (79 percent), and to maintain an orderly environment where motivated students are able to learn (76 percent). Counselors report that they face a very different reality in their schools: there is a large gap between the ideal and reality for almost all items. For example, while 89 percent gave a 9 or 10 rating to the mission to ensure all students have equal access to a high-quality education in the ideal, just 38 percent say this is a 9 or 10 in reality in their school system. Only one mission statement clearly deviates from the pattern of disappointment: the mission of achieving continued improvement on state and national tests of student learning and knowledge. Not only does testing earn a lower rating as an ideal mission, it is the only mission for which the ideal and the reality are nearly perfectly aligned. Here again, counselors shed light on their dissatisfaction with current measures of progress. However, the possibility for counselors to exercise leadership in defining how they can contribute to existing measures or define new, more effective measures of accountability. Counselor ratings indicate these professionals do have students best interests in mind, but are less concerned with or in agreement with how progress is measured. Again, this could indicate a potential area for counselors to lead in defining their measures of progress and how their contributions can align with current initiatives. As will be discussed in the accountability section of this document, this question of measurement and the related issues of accountability and progress are core to the broader issue of how counselors can be most effective in schools.

18 16 Counseling at the Crossroads Figure 2: What is the mission of school counselors, both ideally and in reality in the school in which you work? Advocate for all students Inspire students to reach potential/achieve goals 49 Address student problems so that all graduate high school 44 Ensure all earn high school diploma ready to succeed 46 Help students mature/develop skills for adult world 33 Achieve graduation rates as close to 100 as possible 50 Make students aware of what they need for career 34 Ensure low-income, disadvantaged get extra help 29 College acceptance rates as close to 100 as possible Occupational/job counselor to noncollege bound Actually is the mission in my school* *9 10 ratings on zero-to-10 scale, 10 = perfectly fits my view, 0 = does not fit my view at all Ideally should be the mission* Counselors in Our Nation s Most Struggling s While nearly one in four public high school students does not graduate from high school on time, the rate is as high as one in two in our nation s most struggling schools. 21 Our survey showed that, on average, counselors in schools with higher rates of students on free or reduced-price lunches, or higher rates of minority students, also face larger caseloads. This finding mirrors the limited research that shows the work of counselors is often more complex in lower-resourced areas. 22, 23 In addition, because of resource constraints, the quality, consistency, accessibility and perception of counseling services vary among student subgroups, with more favorable services often provided to students of higher socioeconomic backgrounds. 24, 25 Because counselors have unique training and can offer specialized academic and nonacademic supports, it is possible that their work may have the highest impact on the students with the greatest need. 21. Trusty, J. et al Closing Achievement Gaps: Roles and Tasks of Elementary Counselors. The Elementary Journal 108, no. 5: Bryan, J. et al Who Sees the Counselor for College Information? A National Study. Professional Counseling 12, no. 4: King, J. E The Decision to Go to College: Attitudes and Experiences Associated with College Attendance Among Low-Income Students. New York: The College Board. 24. Auwarter, A. E., and M. S. Aruguete Counselor Perceptions of Students Who Vary in Gender and Socioeconomic Status. Social Psychology of Education 11, no. 4: Savitz-Romer, M The Urban Challenge. ASCA Counselor 46, no. 2:

19 Counseling at the Crossroads 17 Counselors Views of Their Profession Moving from a macro education systems discussion to a school-based one, counselors report a similarly disturbing gap between what the mission of their profession should be and the reality they are facing as professionals in schools. The two highest-rated ideal missions for counselors are to be advocates for all students within the school system and to inspire students to reach their full potential and achieve their goals (these were both rated a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale by 92 percent of counselors). In an ideal context, three additional missions rank just below serving as advocates and inspiring students: addressing student problems so students stay in school through graduation (85 percent rate this a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale); ensuring students earn a diploma and are ready to succeed in college and careers (84 percent); and helping students mature and develop the interpersonal skills they will need to succeed in the adult world (83 percent). As with the mission for the education system, counselors report major gaps between what they would ideally like to see and what they are experiencing in schools (Figure 2). The largest gap is seen for the mission of helping students mature and develop skills for the real world, for which 83 percent of counselors say it closely fits their view of the ideal mission, but just 33 percent say it closely fits their mission in reality, a gap of 50 points. There also is a large gap of 43 points for the mission of inspiring students to reach their full potential and achieve their goals, where 92 percent of counselors say it closely fits their view of the ideal mission, but just 49 percent say it closely fits their mission in reality. Counselors Views on the Mission of College and Career Readiness Counselors see a disconnect between their commitment to promoting college and career readiness and the commitment of their administrators. As will be discussed in more detail in the section Counselors Contribute to College and Career Readiness, the College Board National Office for Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) developed eight components of a counseling system that focuses on ensuring that all students graduate from the 12th grade college and career ready. This survey offered counselors an opportunity to weigh in on the importance of these eight components for the first time. As previously mentioned, nearly all counselors (93 percent) say they support a strategic approach to promote college and career readiness by 12th grade, including a full 57 percent who strongly support this approach. However, more than one in three counselors (35 percent), and one in two counselors in high poverty schools (43 percent), do not think they have the support and resources to be successful at promoting their students college and career readiness by 12th grade. Counselors at public schools, especially urban ones, are less likely to feel they have the support and resources required than are private school counselors, by a 25 percent margin (20 percent in agreement in urban public schools, versus 45 percent in agreement at private schools). Counselors See a Need for Change Counselors report a need for change to the education system (Figure 3). More than half (55 percent) of all counselors say that significant changes to the education system are needed in order to improve student success. Nearly one in 10 (9 percent) says the system needs a complete overhaul. Believing that significant changes are needed is a particularly prevalent viewpoint among counselors from urban public schools, minority schools (25 percent or more minority students), and lower-income schools (50 percent or more students receiving free or reduced-price lunches), but counselors attitudes toward education reforms do not differ greatly by counselors characteristics or the schools in which they work. Interestingly, these responses are not too different from those of the parents of the students they counsel. In response to a similar question in an NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey taken in September 2010, 26 only 6 percent of parents of children in grades pre K through 12 said the education system works pretty well now, and 35 percent said some changes are needed, but basically the system should be kept the same. As with counselors, a majority (55 percent) of parents said major changes or a complete overhaul of the system is needed, but the proportion saying major overhaul (18 percent) is twice as high among parents than it is among counselors, while the proportion saying major changes is lower (37 percent). The alignment between these viewpoints not only confirms the opinion that the education system is in need of improvement, but also reveals parents and counselors as potential allies in education initiatives. Though counselors are divided on education reform initiatives, they are clearly very interested in contributing. Nearly every counselor in the survey endorses the importance of counselors taking a leadership role for change in their schools, even in the face of some opposition. A nearly unanimous 99 percent of counselors agree with the statement, It is important for school counselors to exercise leadership in advocating for students access to rigorous academic preparation, as well as other college and career-readiness counseling, even if others in the school don t see counselors in this leadership role. Three-quarters (76 percent) of all counselors say they strongly agree with the statement. 26. NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll; Field Dates: Sept. 22, 2010 Sept. 26, This question was included in a survey conducted by Peter Hart and Bill McInturff for NBC/WSJ.

20 18 Counseling at the Crossroads Figure 3: To what extent do you think changes are needed in the education system to improve student success? Complete overhaul needed 9 Very little/works well 2 Major changes needed 46 Some changes needed 43 This view is most common among counselors in: Major Change/Complete Overhaul Urban public schools 68 Minority schools (25 or more) 68 Lower income (50 or more students receive free or reduced-price lunches) 64 And among: Minority counselors 66 Counselors with large caseloads (450 or more) 63 Counselors who believe education reform has been negative 67

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